Purple Heart award ceremony

Master Sgt. Tamekia Wood, U.S.Air Force Honor Guard, assists 2nd Lt. (Ret.) John Pedevillano before his Purple Heart award ceremony on July 14, 2017 at the U.S. Air Force Memorial, Arlington, Va. Maj. Gen. James A. Jacobson, Air Force District of Washington commander, hosted the Purple Heart award ceremony and presented the prestigious award to 2nd Lt. (Ret.) John Pedevillano for wounds he incurred during a forced march as a World War II prisoner of war in Germany. Pedevillano, a B-17 bombardier pilot, and his crew assigned to the 306th Bomb Group of the “Mighty Eighth” Air Force were shot down during a bombing mission in airspace over Nazi Germany on April 24, 1944. Per U.S. Army regulation, 600-8-22 Ch. 2, Par. 8, the Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the President of the United States to any member of the U.S. Armed Forces who, after April 5, 1917, has been wounded, killed, or has died from wounds while serving under competent authority in any capacity with one of the U.S. Armed Services. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Mr. James E. Lotz/)(Released)